Reynolds Touts Broadband Investment She Opposed As ‘Blue-State Bailout’

By Nikoel Hytrek

October 12, 2021

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans rallied against President Joe Biden’s signature COVID relief package, but are now championing a $200 million investment in broadband for the state, which was made possible by the federal American Rescue Plan.

“Broadband has never been more important for our future,” Reynolds said in a press release on Monday. “…With this additional investment, we have invested more than $300 million this year alone on bringing future-ready broadband to rural and unserved areas of our state.”

The rescue plan passed in March and has delivered money to states for COVID-19 recovery and investments in infrastructure.

Reynolds, meanwhile, has used her opposition to what she derided as a “blue-state bailout” (all states benefited from it) to raise money for her reelection campaign.

In one ad, she called the American Rescue Plan an “overarching, unconstitutional stimulus bill that does nothing but bail out blue states.”

State Sen. Zach Wahls, a Coralville Democrat, called out Reynolds for celebrating the $200 million in grant money for rural broadband access Monday. Wahls noted Reynolds advocated against the Rescue Plan and that US Rep. Cindy Axne was the only Iowan in Congress to vote for it—all of the state’s Republicans in the House and Senate opposed it.

Democrat Deidre DeJear, who’s running for governor, made the same point, adding that she hopes Reynolds doesn’t send the money back, as she’s done for federal COVID-19 aid for testing in schools.

The grants will go to communications service providers to install broadband infrastructure in underserved locations in the state.

Iowa has the second-slowest internet speeds in the country—only behind Alaska—and ranks 45 in connectedness. Because of that, Iowa has several state and federal initiatives to improve its access.

Broadband expansion is also included in both infrastructure bills being discussed in Congress.

 

by Nikoel Hytrek
10/12/21

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  • Nikoel Hytrek

    Nikoel Hytrek is Iowa Starting Line’s longest-serving reporter. She covers LGBTQ issues, abortion rights and all topics of interest to Iowans. Her biggest goal is to help connect the dots between policy and people’s real lives. If you have story ideas or tips, send them over to [email protected].

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